Women stole baby clothes from Sunderland supermarket

The 41-year-old went into the store in Riverside Road with her friend, where they filled a large gift bag with babywear, before trying to leave without paying.

She was arrested and pleaded guilty to theft at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court.

Prosecuting, Jeanette Smith said Todd, of Winslow Close, had also asked for two other shoplifting offences to be taken into consideration, after she stole goods worth £47.65 and £9.04 from Hylton Retail Park in Sunderland.

Ian Cassidy, defending, said Todd was last in trouble with the police for dishonesty in October 2011.

He said: “All these offences occurred on the same day. They were all with the friend she was with. The shoplifting offence was the idea of the friend. The friend has a young child and needed clothes for the child, so Clare went along with her. She very much regrets her actions and accepts it was a very bad idea to go along with the plan.

“She has had other difficulties in terms of domestic violence from an ex-partner. She describes herself in terms of being in a bad place at the time of the offences.”